When Our Big, Lazy Butts Get In the Way of the Holy Spirit...

by Whitney Peters

I received a wonderful invitation from my former roommate to go with her to a local hospital for woman and children. Alysha explained we would visit different patients, talk and pray with them, and then give a small packet of needed toiletries. At first, I jumped right on her invitation. "Of course, Alysha, I would love to do that!"

As the day went on I began praying and praying for the next day. However, at the same time, I began having a million doubts. Maybe, this isn't the best idea... I don't want to impose on other people... I already feel uncomfortable... my Spanish is horrible... this is silly. The excuses grew in my brain, yet, I continued praying for strength and the great awareness of the Holy Spirit for the next day.

We entered the first room where eight cribs lined the small room and the moms sitting in hard chairs. I handed out a few of the hygiene packets and I spoke with the mother and precious child right next to me and then prayed with them. Suddenly, I became overwhelmingly aware of God's presence in the room. Despite my discomforts, my laziness, my fear, I suddenly felt I was in the right place.

We each had an opportunity to pray for each patient and I began thinking less about my Spanish and instead feeling more of the Holy Spirit.

We went room to room praying, meeting, and giving to different people. Each room we entered was a difficult sight to see, considering the poor, poor conditions of the hospital. I also thought about how these kids and families have nothing to do while they are here and sometimes they wait days just to see the doctor. Yet, I know God is right there with them whether they realize it or not.

Finally, one of the fellow volunteers asked if I would share a word with the next room of patients. At first I said, "No, gracias". However, as we neared the door I was reminded it's not about my ability to speak- it's all about sharing God's love with these wonderful children of God I am only able to know for a split second. To share that they are special and God is with them through each moment.

I share this story of my fear, judgments, doubts, laziness, discomfort, because I think we have all allowed these thoughts and feelings to get in the way of living a life like Christ. I'm not sharing this visit to the hospital to share a righteous act I accomplished but for us to remember those moments we didn't follow through with something on our hearts because it was outside of our comfort zone.

May God help move YOUR big, lazy butt, too! :)

Whitney Peters is a United Methodist Mission Intern serving in Managua, Nicaragua with Accion Medíca Cristiana, which is an ecumenical organization implementing community development initiatives regarding public health. This blog post is adapted from Whitney’s blog: http://whitney-p.blogspot.com/2012/12/when-our-big-lazy-butts-get-in-way-of.html

A Christmas Message from Children

Hannah Hanson, on the left, Mission Intern, advocates for justice.
(photo courtesy of Hannah Hanson)

As I walked into the Haitian revival service, it reminded me of some of the services I miss form my time in other countries. So it may have been my first time in an all Creole environment, but it was still familiar.

It was a special children's service and just so genuine and sweet I truly was honored to be there. The pastor wanted me to introduce Justice for Our Neighbors, because our new Lakeland clinic will be able to serve people from the congregation. 

The pastor also wanted to take part in "A Wish for the Holidays: That all Families Be Able to Stay Together." (A project of We Belong Together.) So after the service I went back with all the children and we talked some about parents in other countries and deportation. Then they wrote to President Obama and Congress. It was amazing to me how much a connection the children got and how well the ones with parents still in Haiti took it.

So I wanted to share some letters with you:

Mom is in Haiti. I want my mom to be with me. 

My Christmas present is to stop deporting families.

For more of the children's letters, read Hannah Hanson's blog.

To learn more about the Mission Intern, link to the missionary bio of Hannah Hanson.

Gratitude for Our Home Church

Stephanie and Ashley Norton are missionaries with the United Methodist Church.
They are working with the Mizak community in Haiti. This Thanksgiving they are
giving thanks for their home church in Michigan, US.
(Photo courtesy of Stephanie Norton)

We are calling this the year of the endless summer. Its hard to imagine people getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States, when its over 100 degrees and sunny every day in Haiti. We are especially grateful for the love and support that Westwood United Methodist Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan gives us. 

Westwood is our home church, and is in a covenant relationship with us. This means that they support us with prayers, correspondence, and monetary donations. In Haiti, there is no postal system. The cell phone towers are shut off regularly. The internet is spotty at best. 

When we do get to travel to a city and use the internet, it is such a joy to read all of the emails from our friends and family at Westwood. It doesn't alleviate homesickness, but we feel connected. 

One of the products that is made at the HAPI (Haitian Artisans for Peace International) co-op is the gratitude journal. These are made from recycled cement bags. They are sturdy, durable, and attractive. 

I've been filling out a gratitude journal that I bought from the co-op with messages to Westwood, including this message: "Thank you for raising me, teaching me, loving me, and supporting me."

Stephanie Norton writes this from the mountainside community in Haiti. She and Ashley Norton are missionaries of the United Methodist Church through the General Board of Global Ministries. Link to Stephanie's bio.

HAPI is one of a dozen Advance projects uplifting and empowering the people of Haiti. Individuals can learn more about HAPI or shop in their store at haitianartisans.com.

This card, depicting the children of the world,
is made by HAPI artists,
 and is for sale at HAPI. 

To purchase a bundle of small-sized gratitude journals, contact HAPIproducts@gmail.com for pricing, ordering, and payment information.

Find out more about HAPI and the self-empowerment programs at advancinghope.org.

When giving to HAPI, Advance project #3020490, as always, 100 percent of your gift goes to the project.

To learn how you, or someone you know, can apply to serve as a young adult missionary.

Reenergized, Not Retired in Hong Kong

Missionary Joy Prim, (seated, far right) meets with re-tired missionaries from Hong Kong
and Global Ministries Asia and Pacific executive, Rebecca Asedillo (seated, far left).

The past week has been a celebration of the 160th anniversary of Methodism here in Hong Kong. This celebration brought in many people from many Methodist Churches worldwide and missionary friends who had served in Hong Kong through the years. There were meetings, tours, and events through the week and many of the guest ventured over to Macau yesterday.

Earlier this week Becky, executive secretary for Asia and Pacific and my regional executive, invited me to breakfast to join her and “re-tired" GBGM missionaries who had served here in Hong Kong. I accepted and joined them this morning.

We shared food but, more importantly, we shared fellowship. They all welcomed me with open arms, shared bits about their experiences serving here and what they had learned. They listened as I shared about my ministry here and briefly about how I ended up in Hong Kong.

One warned that, when it becomes home, Hong Kong has a way of never letting go of you. I smiled and shared it had already pulled me in and I wasn’t sure I wanted to ever leave. They shared about the many ministries they are currently involved in stateside, their thoughts as General Conference approaches, and generally enjoyed being with each other, if for nothing else than to remember and look ahead.

I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the amount of what they are still doing since they “retired from missions” to become “re-tired” -- as in re-treaded to keep going strong. Let me tell you this group of retired missionaries is really just a group of “re-tired" missionaries.

We spent 90 minutes together and, while I didn’t feel like I said much, I left full of life and reenergized about my time here. As we bid each other good-bye, one of the ladies commented about how nice it’s going to be to think of Hong Kong and think of a face....

Joy Prim (photo by Mary Beth Coudal)

Read more of Joy's blog at Living by God's Grace.
Link to the Missionary Bio of Joy Prim.

Communion = Common Union

This is Kara's view of the barrio surrounding the white church in Bogotá, Colombia. (Photo by Kara Crawford)

On Sunday, my church had communion. This was my first time taking communion here in Colombia, and, as taking communion for the first time with any group, it was a new experience for me. This church all waits and takes the elements at the same time, different than what I am used to (by-and-large) in the US, moving forward in an orderly, single-file line and take the elements as we receive them (well, or if we’re doing intinction, we dunk then partake). But two things really struck me this go-round of communion.

First, at some point during the service, the pastor said that we would be taking communion, and he then referred to it as a “común unión” – a common union. And this was the first time that I had really thought a lot about the significance of the term communion. He said it’s a point of common union – a common union with God, a common union with each other. I thought that this was a beautiful way to understand communion, that brought a new light to the subject.

Second, after church we had a potluck of sorts, to which many people brought food to share with the group. Now, for me, growing up as a United Methodist clergy kid, potlucks were an integral part of my church experience. In fact, at times, they have almost felt like more of a common union, a communion, than the actual Eucharistic act. Everyone brings what they have to a common table; we all share and partake, and participate in a familiar (both in the sense of being well-known and in the sense of being a family) act, sharing a meal together, sharing in conversation, and simply sharing.

This particular potluck was to celebrate that the month of September (I believe it’s the whole month – at least that’s my understanding) celebrates “amor y amistad” – “love and friendship” – here in Colombia. So the fact that I was able to, so early into my forming community here, partake in this familiar act of common union, of communion, of potluck, was incredibly significant to me, and I’m already beginning to feel more and more welcomed as part of the family. Because when you share and break bread with the family, whether in an act of Eucharist or in an act of sharing a literal meal, you are taking part in a connection that is greater than yourself. In this case, the connection was in the Methodist family, in the Christian family, in the human family.

Read more from Kara's blog. Or support Kara's work through Global Ministries

Kara Crawford is a missionary, a Mission Intern, of the United Methodist Church. (photo courtesy of Kara Crawford)

The Great I Am

New missionaries of The United Methodist Church.
(Photo by Dan Randall, missionary)

May the Great I AM Hear You Deliver You
Protect You

May the Great I AM
Provide for You
Nourish You
Guide You and Lead You

May the Great I AM
Teach You
Train You
Transform You

May the Great I AM
Redeem You
Restore You
Rejoice over You

May the Great I AM
have all of your lives -
all of your faith, hope, and trust,
all of your doubt, anxieties, failures, and shortcomings
that you may know the Great I AM in ever deeper and fuller ways
because the Great I AM - the triune God - was, is,
and will be for you...forever.

Alleluia.
AMEN

***
Dan Randall, missionary, posted this prayer on his blog. He wrote the prayer for the 26 young adults who are being trained and are about to serve in communities throughout the United States and throughout the world through The United Methodist Church. (Photo by Dan Randall)

In the story of Israel's exodus and exile and relationship with God, "I AM" is the name given to Moses by God in the book of Exodus, and it is a name by which Jews and Christians continue to call on God today, as seen through the stories of the Old Testament.

For more on Dan's reflections, link to: http://randallsreflections.blogspot.com/2011/08/great-i-am-prayer-for-young-adults-in.html